


just a little bit closer...

by somsnosa



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition, Dragon Age: Origins
Genre: F/M, Female Surana - Freeform, Prompt Fill, because i am thirsty for cullen and mage girl flings, before surana became warden, bold and brash? more like belongs in the trash, cullen being a scared little chantry boy, female elf magi, i actually kind of edited this one, i hc my warden to be little tiny short, i think its cute!, its just... so CUTE, like freal he feels sinful touching her SHOULDER, no definite name, promt: shes too short to reach something on a shelf- shenanigans ensue, shes like all prideful them ashamed then BRASH, woah
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-03-03
Updated: 2016-03-03
Packaged: 2018-05-24 12:35:11
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,337
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6153937
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/somsnosa/pseuds/somsnosa
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>all she wants is a book. what she gets instead is a blush-y Templar boy. she ins't complaining, though.</p>
            </blockquote>





	just a little bit closer...

**Author's Note:**

> finally, a fic more than 600 words long! I like to see some insight on what the circle was like before jowan pulled his little stunt, so this is what i did. i actually did a bit of proofreading (woah!) so i could do my best stuttery templar and brave n brash elf grill

Sometimes being short had its advantages. Evading taller people’s blows when she had gotten into the occasional fight, being able to slip through small spaces to retrieve “hidden” treasures- these and numerous other reasons were the luxuries she had enjoyed for most of her life. However, when a book needed for research was on the highest possible shelf, being short sucked nug balls.

No matter how much she strained, no matter how high on her tip toes she got, her hands were barely in reach of the thick tome, it being so tantalizingly close she could scream (if you count two to three feet out of her reach as “tantalizingly close”). And of course it was inconvenient for any step stools or, Maker forbid, LADDERS, to be in the room (where the blue Fade were they? Honestly, the Fereldan circle could be radically exasperating) and leaving the room to admit defeat to a book would be the last thing she’d do. Damn her pride.

And then it came to her. Climb the shelf! She’d climbed up enough things for this not to be a big deal, and it’d be way more quick and effective than calling for a step stool. This plan couldn’t go wrong.

She stepped away from the shelf to take a deep breath, scaling the height of the shelf. All she had to do was plant her feet on at least the second shelf from the bottom and she’d be golden. She could see it now—book in hand, marching proudly back to her quarters to finally get a bit of her _own_ research done. This filled her with more determination, and she stepped up to the shelf.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx

She was there, he was sure of it. He shouldn’t worry though, he was a Templar! He’d been in the order since he was thirteen, nothing could stop him now! Or, at least, that’s what Cullen kept telling himself as he walked through Kinloch Hold’s huge library, wringing his hands and breathing deeply, trying to calm his frayed nerves.

She was just another mage he had to watch over on his patrols around the Circle, nothing to fret about. No mind she was quite powerful for her age and completely stunning and on his mind almost every day, and never mined that his heart skipped a beat every time he passed her in the halls. No mind any of that! He was going to do his patrols and he was going to do them as well as he could. He was goi— _crash!_

Cullen jumped both physically and mentally at the sound, perking up and dashing around the corner to see what had been the source of the noise. He quickly spotted a pile of books with a groaning person underneath, rushing over to help pull them out. He almost stopped when he realized who exactly _them_ was; it was _her_ , the exposed part of her face looking dazed and confused while her hands were blindly groping around the mess, as if trying to get their bearings. He kneeled, pulling and tossing the weighty tomes off her body and tried his best to avoid eye contact, afraid she’d see the scarlet peppering his cheeks.

“How did this happen?” he asked, trying to keep an authoritative tone and hoping she didn’t notice his shaking hands. Why was he so _nervous_? She was a _mage_ , damn it! And he was pulling books off of her! He should’ve kept his composure, he was _trained_ to handle this, no matter how silly this situation seemed. Some silly emotions weren’t going to hinder his abilities.

Well, that’s would he could tell himself all day long, but it wouldn’t stop his breathing from stopping when he finally gazed up at her, dark brown eyes looking soft and grateful. He swore he could feel his heart melting when she finally sat up, her pink lips spread into a small smile. _Oh sweet Maker, she was even more beautiful up close._ His mind screamed at him to look away, to stop gawking and giving a ridiculous smile before he embarrassed himself any further, but he couldn’t help it. It was something about her that just compelled him to smile…

“Well, I was trying to get that book up there,” she pointed up to a shelf that was obviously beyond her reach “and I thought I could just climb up and get it and… I’m sorry…” the elf looked down, the tips of her ears stained a bright red. Great, now she was blushing. So much for his strict professional aura, he was a grinning mess. Or, at least, he tried his best from becoming a grinning mess. He sighed defeatedly, standing up and extending a hand for her to pull herself up on, trying his damndest to ignore the electrifying feel rushing through his arm and the warm swell in his chest. As soon as she was up he turned and reached up for the book, having to rise to his tip toes to pull it out.

“A bestiary, huh?” Cullen whispered, handing the book back to the girl. Was she always _this_ short? He guessed he never noticed from the distance he always kept from her, but it was cute how small she was.

“Yeah, needed to do, research, I guess.” She smiled slightly, face still angled downwards. How could she be so dumb? Climbing the shelf, like it was ever going to work! It had started off well- both feet planted firmly on the second shelf, the book closer to her reach, her pride swelling and willing her to go through with the plan. She got one foot on the third shelf, but she wasn’t counting on a book with a rogue paper sticking out to be her next foothold, her traction losing while she was grasping for the book. In her descent, her feet had managed to kick out in a vain effort to upright, hands flailing and catching any books within her range as if they’d anchor her back to the shelves. _Stupid, stupid, stupid…_

“Just, uh… be more careful, okay?” Cullen spoke softly, placing a tentative hand on her shoulder and willing a natural looking smile to present itself. She looked up at him, her big eyes shining with thankfulness. They stood there like that for a moment, his hand on her shoulder and looking down at her with a smile, she clutching the book and looking up at him, sincere eyes not wanting to move from his honey colored ones.

 _Cullen Stanton Rutherford, this isn’t okay. Don’t dally about, it can’t happen. Move_. He mentally scolded himself for keeping so close, for allowing himself to get close, to even touch her as much as he did. He cleared his throat, feeling bad for how much she jumped. It was strange- for as much bravado she put on, she sure was a skittish little thing. Or maybe she was as nervous as he in this moment. Which he seriously doubted, since the blood rushing to his cheeks hadn’t stopped its assault while her tanned complexion was completely returned to normal. She seemed to have a brave air about her.

“Well, I’m glad I was about to start my patrol then. I, uh, hope you get your research done. Have a nice day.” He nodded, mostly to himself, and turned on heel, marching to his patrol station. Maybe she’d walk away while he wasn’t looking; maybe he wouldn’t have to melt anymore. As he turned to face the walkways, he was met with the sight of the mage still in her place, an even bigger smile playing on her lips. _Maker, why must you taunt me so?_

He watched as she finally skittered away, she taking a moment to look back over her shoulder and—oh jeez, was that a kiss? Did she blow him a _kiss?_ Cullen had to balance himself to keep from falling, his knees weak and his heart skipping several beats.

_Maker, you’re so cruel._


End file.
